Andi Mack: Season 1/ Episode 2 “Outside the Box” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Andi Mack continues to buck the Disney trend in many ways as we continue to see Bex and Celia show that not all families resolve their issues within an episode, especially when they have been long simmering. But, when it comes to Amber, she is the usual basic nemesis.

Andi With The Good Hair (Andi, Jonah, Amber, Cyrus, and Buffy)

Of Andi’s two secrets, the first revealed is that she is on Jonah’s ultimate Frisbee team. Something no one truly understands since Andi + sports does not add up. However, she is getting quite good at it and since she is committed to it, her friends Cyrus and Buffy come to support her. Well, to be nosey about how well things are going with Jonah and to support her.

But perhaps what is most notable is Amber. She basically walks through Cyrus while going to Jonah and upon noticing Jonah and Andi hugging, she starts her manipulation of him. All of which makes Jonah feel guilty about the bracelet he asked Andi to make him, so he gives it to Amber. Something Andi learns about as they are at a local diner and Amber decides to stare her down. Leading to Buffy, in reference to Beyoncé’s Lemonade album, referring to Andi as the would be “Becky With The Good Hair.”

Commentary

A Disney show just had their Black character reference a Beyoncé album? Much less reference a line about someone who was a mistress? I don’t know where the line is anymore, but I’m glad it got pushed back.

That aside, I like how Jonah isn’t this foreign and distant figure but is someone our lead can actually interact with. On top of that, while I guess he could be considered a jock, since I think Ultimate Frisbee is a sport, at least Disney isn’t relying on the cute dumb jock trope. But, when it comes to Amber, I’m trying to figure out if there might be more to her than meets the eye. For considering how Disney seems to be trying to break the mold with this show, I want to hope Amber isn’t just some weird high school girl dating a middle school guy just to get her reservation in before he graduates. I’d like to think that maybe Jonah is the only one who has time for her, who is affectionate, or accepts her for who she is. For wouldn’t it be unfortunate if Amber really was just your staple, the girl who is jealous and possessive and ready to make the leads life hell whenever possible?

Celia and Bex’s relationship (Celia and Bex)

For reasons which aren’t honed in on in this episode, Bex and Celia can barely talk without fighting, much less give a compliment to one another. Something you can tell goes beyond Bex’s arrival and revealing to Andi who her biological mom is. But as for the specific reason(s), they remain a mystery. Though you can tell, Bex wants to heal old wounds. However, Celia seemingly went through a bit too much to just forgive and forget all in one episode.

Commentary

With the reveal that Bex’s memory box is at least 13 years old and she had it since she was Andi’s age, that means Bex is only around her mid-20s. Meaning, more than likely, Andi was born when Bex had to say “teen” at the end of her age. Something which Celia more than likely isn’t/wasn’t happy about when it comes to Bex. However, with it being a struggle for them to say one nice thing about one another, it seems to go a bit more deeper than that. For, more than likely, on top of Bex’s pregnancy, there is probably an issue of who the father is [note]Of which Bex is still keeping a secret[/note], whatever academic opportunities she gave up or didn’t aspire to achieve and, as noted in the first episode, Bex ruining Celia’s do over.

Andi, from what it seems, is everything Bex is not at this point. So it does appear that with how protective Celia is being and how focused she is on Andi’s academics, with arts and crafts being the only fun thing she can really do, she is trying to make up for whatever mistakes happened in raising Bex. Really leading you to wonder what Disney may come up with in terms of how Bex became this woman who travels the world but seemingly without a job.

Oh, and could I just note how I love all their issues weren’t resolved in one episode? Be it Bex’s and Celia’s or even the weirdness of Andi’s new family dynamic?

Secret Baby (Andi, Buffy, and Cyrus [note]Cyrus is Jewish[/note])

Buffy and Cyrus learn Andi is Bex’s baby.

Commentary

To me, this is just going to set up the comedic moments of the show, as well as further pushing how awkward the situation is. But with all that happened with Jonah and Buffy, it seems Cyrus and Buffy wanted to process that before handling Andi’s outburst of her new family dynamic.